Marion seniors win AAA award

Marion seniors win AAA award

Editorial StaffMay 10, 20241 min read

Jordan WilcoxAssistant Publisher Marion High School seniors Mara Jolly, Bonnie Kiger, Taylor Kruse, and Madison Sutten are all recipients of the West Michigan D League’s AAA Award for excellence in Academics, Attitude, and Athletics. They were honored last month at…

Postcard from the Pines: Give Mom a Tree

Postcard from the Pines: Give Mom a Tree

Editorial StaffMay 10, 20245 min read

Arbor Day happens each April, although just one day to honor and plant trees doesn’t seem quite right. Perhaps the late date is meant to coincide with the coming of green across the land. We are especially fond of our…

Saugatuck track teams placethird at Shepherd Invitational

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20242 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports EditorSHEPHERD—Talk about symmetry.Competing at the Bluejay Invitational in Shepherd on Friday, May 3, both the girls and boys track teams from Saugatuck finished with 78 points. And both placed third in the eight-team Small Division with that…

Obituary: Andrew (Drew) McLean Carter

Obituary: Andrew (Drew) McLean Carter

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20242 min read

Andrew (Drew) McLean Carter, 56, of Fennville passed away Thursday, April 25, 2024 while in Hospice care during his final stage of Huntington’s disease.Drew was born Feb. 21, 1968 in Port Huron, son of the late Charles and Shirley Carter.…

Blue Star

Blue Star

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20244 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorDerby DayWhat’s worse than a man without a home? In Douglas, a land without a zone. The planning commission May 9 will weigh saving 16.77 acres — bought in 2013 and annexed from Saugatuck Township two years later…

Derby Day

Derby Day

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20240 min read

Kilpatrick back to help Douglas plan

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20242 min read

By Scott SullivanEditorRyan Kilpatrick, Douglas community and economic development director from 2009 to 2014, will consult with city again about meeting affordable housing goals.City council Monday hired Kilpatrick’s Flywheel Community Development Services for $3,500 to conduct a housing workshop and…

Farmers’ markets open in Plainwell, Otsego this month

Farmers’ markets open in Plainwell, Otsego this month

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The calendar has turned from April to May.And that means, among other things, it’s time for the local farmers’ markets to open for the 2024 season.The Plainwell Famers’ Market—located this year off of M-89 on the…

Otsego High School holds prom at Warner Vineyards

Otsego High School holds prom at Warner Vineyards

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor May 4 has come to be known as Star Wars Day.You know, “May the Fourth be with you.”It seemed only fitting, then, that the students who organized this year’s Otsego High School prom decided to go…

Otsego girls, Plainwell boys win in conference dual meet

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor PLAINWELL—The track teams from Otsego and Plainwell met for a Wolverine Conference dual on Tuesday, April 30, with the result being a split decision.The Plainwell boys won by an 81-56 margin, while the Otsego girls prevailed…

Allegan tennis places secondat TigerDuals

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20242 min read

By Jason WesseldykSports Editor The Allegan girls tennis team served as host of the Tiger Duals on Saturday, May 4, welcoming Battle Creek Lakeview, Ludington and St. John’s to town.The Tigers finished with a 1-2 record for the day, besting…

Obituary: Charles Edward Payne

Obituary: Charles Edward Payne

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20242 min read

Charles Edward Payne, 95, of St. Joseph went to meet his Lord on Monday, April 29, 2024. “Ed” was born on May 27, 1928, in Allegan, MI, to Charles E. Payne, Sr. and Henrietta Louisa (Wesseldyk) Payne. He graduated from…

Obituary: Dorothy Ann (Opperman) Wilson

Obituary: Dorothy Ann (Opperman) Wilson

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

Dorothy Ann (Opperman) Wilson passed away peacefully on April 30th, 2024, at the age of 92, in Kalamazoo, Michigan at Rose Arbor, Centrica. Dorothy was born on March 3rd, 1932, in Grand Rapids, Michigan to the late Edward and Jennie…

Obituary: Darlene Kay Joostberns

Obituary: Darlene Kay Joostberns

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20245 min read

Darlene Kay Joostberns was born on September 7, 1944, in Allegan, Michigan, to Albert Kizer and Coral (Meyer) Kizer. She was the second of three children and the only girl. Darlene grew up in Allegan and attended Allegan Public Schools.Darlene…

Obituary: Maryanne “Mimi” Gabriel

Obituary: Maryanne “Mimi” Gabriel

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20244 min read

Maryanne “Mimi” Gabriel exited this world like she lived: in her own way and on her own schedule. On April 4th, 2024, Mimi passed beyond the veil after a long battle with lupus and a short fight with cardiac, G.I.,…

Life as Performance Art

Life as Performance Art

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20245 min read

Someone figured out a better idea. No more hose drinking or palm lapping. We had to have our water in a sanitary container – a thin, one-time-use bottle – so we would be safe from all those evil germs. We…

What’s the Storey Jim, in or out?

What’s the Storey Jim, in or out?

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20242 min read

By Donald Talonen Recently, Jim Storey has found himself in the middle of a controversial situation regarding the Allegan County elections. It was reported that Storey might have been disqualified due to unresolved issues with campaign finance report filings from…

Fallen firefighter Gail VanAuken honored firetruck 1511

Fallen firefighter Gail VanAuken honored firetruck 1511

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

By Donald Talonen The rain didn’t stop the celebration dedicated to Gail VanAuken. The firehouse was packed with friends, family, and even strangers for the unveiling of fire engine 1511 in honor of the fallen firefighter, just in time for…

Mike’s Musings: Taxes just keep piling up

Mike’s Musings: Taxes just keep piling up

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

Like many of us I struggle with having to pay taxes each year. I often wonder why I put aside more and more each year to pay the government yet get lesser and lesser services.For instance, I’m drawing social security.…

Chambers softball and baseball seasons come to end

Chambers softball and baseball seasons come to end

Editorial StaffMay 8, 20243 min read

By Katie McElvy Chambers SoftballThe Lady Rebels entered the AISA AA State Softball Tournament last week. First, the Rebels faced Patrician Academy. After the Saints took an 0-3 lead, Chambers battled back in the second inning when Ansley Carter hit…